Vibrating conveyor



Aug- 9, 1966 K. M. ALLEN ETAL 3,265,196

VIBRATING CONVEYOR Filed 0G12. 25, 1964 BUCKHORM BLORE, KLAROU/ST 8 SPAR/(MAN Afro/mns United States Patent C) 3,265,196 VIBRATING CONVEYOR Kenneth M. Allen and Chester H. Harper, Newberg, Greg., assignors to Allen-Harper, Inc., Newberg, Oreg., a corporation of @regen Filed Oct. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 406,242 11 Claims. (Cl. 198-220) This invention relates `to vibrating conveyors, and more particularly to planetary swash plate drives for vibrating conveyors.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved vibrating conveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a planetary swash plate drive for a vibrating conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide drives for vibrating conveyors variable from no throw to a predetermined maximum throw.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple, highly effective vibrating conveyor drive which has an infinitely variable throw.

The invention provides a vibrating conveyor having a swash plate drive in which a thrust member is connected pivotally to a conveyor bed and has in one end thereof an annular groove. A ball is seated in the groove and in an opposed circular groove formed in a rotated and pivotally adjustable swash plate. Preferably the swash plate is keyed to a shaft of an electric motor. The motor is mounted on a pivotal sup-port for movement by a manually controlled actuator between a first position in which the swash plate and the end of the thrust member are parallel and no throw is imparted to the thrust member and a second position in which the swash plate and the end of the thrust member are angularly incl-ined relative to each other so that the thrust member is reciprocated.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of vibrating conveyors forming specific embodiments thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a vibrating conveyor forming one embodiment of the invention when in one condition;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a portion of the conveyor of FIG. 1 in an adjusted conditi-on;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a vibnating conveyor forming an alternate embodiment of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a vibrating convey-or forming one embodiment of the invention includes a conveyor trough or bed 12 which is oscillated by a swash plate drive 14 primarily to the right and lef-t, as viewed in FIG. l, and somewhat up an-d dow-n. The convey-or ,bed 12 is supported by wide, resilient struts 16, which are parallel to one another and are sup-ported by supp-Orts 13 carried by a base 20. The drive 14 includes a swash plate 22 keyed to a shaft 24 of an electr-ic motor 26 fixed to a pivot plate 28 having a forked end 29 pivoted on aligned pins `30 carried by a forked en-d 31 of a bracket 3:2 fixed to the base 20. A follower plate 34 is coupled by ball 36 to the swash plate 22, and is connected rigidly to and is keyed to a thrust or connecting rod 38 connected at its other end by means of a resilient web or strap 40 to the bottom of the conveyor bed 12. The web 40 holds the rod 38 against rotation. The struts 16 urge the thrust rod 38, plate 34 an-d the conveyor 12 toward the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, Ito maintain t-he thrust rod 38 under compression. The rod 38 is slidable in bore 41 in guide stand-ard 42 and is splined to the standard 42, which is supported for movement primarily up and ice down `by a resilient web 43 fixed at one end to a bracket 45 fixed to the base 20; The pins 30 are aligned with each other and are horizontal and transverse to the axis of the motor shaft 24. The aligned axes of the pins 30 lie in the pl-ane of the bottom of an annular groove 48 in one face of the swash plate 22. The webs 46 and 43, while being slight-ly inclined to the horizontal, lie in substantially parallel planes so that the webs per-mit the lefthand end of the thrust rod 38 to move up and down while substantially preventing horizontal movement of the thrust rod transverse to the longitudinal axis of the thrust rod. This mounting of the thrust rod and the follower plate 34 permits the follower plate to move or float up and down the slight amount necessary to accommodate the ball 36 in the groove 70 when the swash plate 22 is tilted relative to the follower plate.

A cylinder Si) pivotally connected at its lower end to a mounting bracket S2 carries therein a piston (not shown) serving to position a piston rod 54 connected b-y a clevis 56 and a pin 58 to the plate 28. Conduits 60 and 62 lead toa manually controlled valve (not shown) adapted, depending upon the condition in which the valve is set by the operator, to supp-ly fluid under pressure selectively to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder 50. The cylinder Si) and its associated elements form a manually controlled, selectively adjustable fluid pressure actuated cylinder device, and may be actuate-d to pivot the plate 2S to any selected position between a Vfirst position in which the shaft 24 and thrust rod 38 `are aligned with each other and faces 66 and 68 of the swash plate 22 and follower plate 34, respectively, are parallel and are normal to the centerlines of the shaft and the thrust rod, and an extreme position in which the shaft 24 is inclined relative to the thrust rod, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The groove 48 in the swash plate is opposed to annular, ballreceiving groove '70 in the follower plate. The grooves 48 and '70 are substantially arcuate in transverse crosssection and fit c-losely on the spherical ball 36. The grooves 4S and 70 have the same diameter, and the ball 36 is freely rotatable along the grooves. t

When the plate 28 is in the first posit-ion, as illustrated in FIG. l, and is rotated, the ball 36 is revolved about the axis of the shaft 24 and thrust rod 38 by the rotation of the swash plate 22 relative to the non-rotating follower plate 34 but has no movement longitudinally of the shaft 24 so that the conveyor bed 12 is not reciprocated. When the plate 28 is adjusted to inc-line the axis of the shaft relative to the thrust rod, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the ball 36 and the struts 16 Ipush the follower plate and the thrust rod back and forth as the ball is revolved, and the conveyor bed 12 is moved back and forth to move alternately upwardly and to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, and downwardly and to the left to advance material on the conveyor be-d toward the right, as viewed in FIG. 2. The resilient mounting of t-he standard 4-2 [for longitudinal reciprocation thereof permits the lefthand end of the thrust rod to move up and down as the follower plate is moved up and down by the ball 36 as the ball is revolved by the swash plate and follower plate, the tilt of the swash plate eau-sing the bail to follow an ellipse relative to the plane of the follower plate.

In the operation of the vibrating conveyor 10, when the swash plate drive 14 is in the condition thereof shown in FIG. 1 and the motor 26 rotates the shaft 24, the swash plate 22 is parallel to the follower plate 34 and no longitudinal motion of the thrust rod 38 is produced. The ball 36, which may be metallic or may be of a frictional material or may have a metallic core and a frictional surface, is revolved around the aligned axes of the shaft 24 and the thrust rod 38 at one-half the speed of rotation of the shaft 24. When the cylinder 50 is actuated to raise the free end of the plate 28, it tilts the shaft 24 relative to the thrust rod, the extreme range of adjustment being illustrated in FIG. 2, and the swash plate is tilted to an angle relative to the follower plate. When the swash plate is tilted relative to the follower plate, rotation of the swash plate by the shaft causes the ball to travel around in the grooves 48 and 70, the thrust rod being urged to the left by the spring mounting of the conveyor bed by the struts 16 and the ball reciprocates the thrust rod to the right and left, as viewed in FIG. 2, to reciprocate the conveyor bed.

A vibrator conveyor 100 (FIG. 4) forming an alternate embodiment of the invention includes a conveyor bed or trough 102 mounted on and urged to the left by resilient, strap-like struts 104, the struts 104 and the structure mounting the struts 104 being identical to the struts 16 and the structure mounting the struts 16, respectively. A swash plate drive 105 inclu-des a follower plate 106 mounted rigidly on the bottom of the conveyor bed, and a brace 108 supports the follower plate. A pivot plate 110 mounting electric motor 112 has a forked portion 114 mounted pivotally on aligned, horizontal pins 116 carried by forked bracket 118. The bracket 118 is xed to the base 120 of the conveyor. A double-acting cylinder device 122 connected pivotally to the free end of the plate 110 and the base 120 is adapted to adjust the plate 110 through a range from a no-throw position shown in FIG. 4 to a maximum throw position in which a disclike swash plate 124 is inclined to a maximum permitted extent relative to the follower plate 106. The swash plate 124 is keyed to shaft 126 of the motor 112 and has a deep, annular groove 128 concentric with the shaft 126. A ball 130 fits into the groove 12S and is held therein by the follower plate 106. The pins 116 are aligned with each other on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 126 and substantially in the plane of the bottom of the groove 128.

When the swash plate 124 is parallel to the follower plate 106 and the plate 124 is rotated by the motor 112, the ball 130 is merely revolved and no throw to the conveyor trough 102 is effected. Whenever the cylinder d'evice 122 has been actuated to tilt the swash plate relative to the follower plate, the ball is moved along the groove 128 and the conveyor trough is reciprocated to move material toward the right.

The above-described swash plate drives 14 and 105 are simple and rugged in construction, are highly effective in operation and are easily adjusted through a wide range of throw from zero to maximum. The drives include minimum numbers of simple, durable elements, and the motors 26 and 112 may be kept continuously running at full speed and the conveyors stopped and started without delays of acceleration and deceleration.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vibrating conveyor,

a conveyor bed mounted for back and forth movement,

follower means connected to the conveyor bed,

a rotor member rotatable on a predetermined axis,

means for rotating the rotor member,

a thrust member positioned between the rotor member and the follower means, eccentrically of the rotor member and revolved by the rotor member,

and means for adjusting the rotor member through a `range from a rst posiiton in which the rotor member is parallel to the follower means and the conveyor bed and a second position in which the rotor member is inclined relative to the follower means and a predetermined maximum throw is imparted to the conveyor bed.

l 2. The vibrating conveyor of claim 1 wherein at least one of the rotor member and the follower means has an annular groove therein,

and the thrust member comprises a ball adapted to roll along the groove and space the rotor member and the follower means apart. 3. In a vibrating conveyor, a conveyor bed mounted for back and forth movement, av follower plate secured to the bottom of the conveyor bed, a swash plate having an annular groove therein, a motor having a shaft keyed to and carrying the swash plate in a position normal thereto, means mounting the motor for adjustment between a first position in which the plates are parallel and a second position in which the plates extend angularly relative to each other, and a planetary thrust member positioned in the groove and adapted to move therealong when the swash plate is rotated by the shaft, 4. The vibrating conveyor of claim 3 wherein the planetary thrust member comprises a spherical ball.

5. The vibrating conveyor of claim 4 wherein the ball has an outer facing of friction material.

6. In a vibrating conveyor, a conveyor bed mounted for back and forth movement, an electric motor having an output shaft, a swash plate mounted on and keyed to the shaft, a follower plate carried by the conveyor bed, one of the plates having an annular groove in a face thereof, means mounting the motor for adjustment between a rst position in which the plates are in facing, parallel positions and a second position in which the plates are facing each other and are tilted relative to each other, and a ball extending partially into the annular groove and adapted to be rolled therealong. 7. In a vibrating conveyor, a conveyor bed mounted for back and forth movement, a follower plate carried by the conveyor bed, a swash plate, means for rotating the swash plate, one of the plates having annular guide means, means mounting the swash plate in facing relationship to the follower plate, a thrust ball guided by the annular guide means and engaging and separating the plate, and means for tilting one of the plates relative to the other plate. 8. In a vibrating conveyor, a conveyor bed mounted for back and forth movement, a follower plate, mounting means securing the follower plate to the conveyor bed, an electric motor having a shaft, a swash plate mounted on and keyed to the shaft, adjustable means mounting the motor for pivotal movement about a predetermined axis extending at right angles to the shaft and substantially in the plane of the swash plate for movement through a range from a first position in which the swash plate faces and is parallel to the follower plate to a second position in which the swash plate faces and extends at a predetermined angle relative to the follower plate, means for adjusting the adjustable means to any selected position in said range, a ball positioned between the plates and separating the plates, and guide means for guiding the ball in an annular path centered on the shaft as the swash plate is rotated. 9. The vibrating conveyor of claim 8 wherein the guide means comprises an annular groove formed in one of the r plates.

10. The vibrating conveyor of claim 8 wherein the guide means comprises a pair of annular grooves in the adjacent faces of the plates receiving the ball,

the mounting means including a thrust rod pivotally secured to the conveyor bed and carrying the follower plate, a standard mounting the thrust rod slidably longitudinally therein and preventing transverse movement of the rod relative to the standard, and spring means mounting `the standard for movement only in a direction at right angles to the pivotal axis of movement of the motor.

l1. The vibrating conveyor of claim 8 wherein the swash plate has an annular groove therein along which the ball is adapted to roll,

the follower plate having an ungrooved face facing the swash plate and engaged by the ball,

and the mounting means serving to mount the follower plate substantially rigidly on the conveyor bed.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

R. M. WALKER, M. L. AJEMAN,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A VIBRATING CONVEYOR, A CONVEYOR BED MOUNTED FOR BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT, FOLLOWER MEANS CONNECTED TO THE CONVEYOR BED, A ROTOR MEMBER ROTATABLE ON A PREDETERMINED AXIS, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE ROTOR MEMBER, A THRUST MEMBER POSITIONED BETWEEN THE ROTOR MEMBER AND THE FOLLOWER MEANS, ECCENTRICALLY OF THE ROTOR MEMBER AND REVOLVED BY THE ROTOR MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE ROTOR MEMBER THROUGH A RANGE FROM A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH THE ROTOR MEMBER IS PARALLEL TO THE FOLLOWER MEANS AND THE COMVEYOR BED AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THE ROTOR MEMBER IS INCLINED RELATIVE TO THE FOLLOWER MEANS AND A PREDETERMED MAXIMUM THROW IS IMPARTED TO THE CONVEYOR BED. 